How African Economics Killed "the Leapfrog Effect"

Enlarge / US Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N. J.), right, speaks as House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) looks on during a hearing about TikTok on Thursday, March 23, 2023. (credit: Getty Images | Tom Williams ) A proposed repeal of Section 230 is designed to punish Big Tech but is also facing opposition from library associations, the Internet Archive, the owner of Wikipedia, and advocacy groups from across the political spectrum who say a repeal is bad for online speech.

Enlarge / The Humane AI Pin. It has a magnetic back, so it sticks to your clothing like a name tag. (credit: Humane) The wearable startup Humane, makers of the bizarre Humane AI Pin, is already looking for the exit. Bloomberg reports the company is seeking a sale after its first and only product launch was a big flop.

Enlarge (credit: wildestanimal) Whales use complex communication systems we still don’t understand, a trope exploited in sci-fi shows like Apple TV’s Extrapolations. That show featured a humpback whale (voiced by Meryl Streep) discussing Mahler’s symphonies with a human researcher via some AI-powered inter-species translation app developed in 2046. We’re a long way from that future.

Enlarge / The Chevrolet Blazer was pulled from sale almost immediately after our first drive in December. Now it's back on sale—with a price cut. (credit: Michael Frank) General Motors appears to have solved the problem that was holding back the production of its Ultium-based electric vehicles. These are now rolling out of factories—you can expect to read about the new Silverado EV tomorrow and the (allegedly affordable) Equinox EV next week, to name but two.

Enlarge (credit: Sundry Photography via Getty) This June, approximately 150 motorcycles will thunder down Route 9W in Saugerties, New York, for Ryan’s Ride for Recovery. Organized by Vince Kelder and his family, the barbecue and raffle will raise money to support their sober-living facility and honor their son who tragically died from a heroin overdose in 2015 after a yearslong drug addiction. The Kelders established Raising Your Awareness about Narcotics (RYAN) to help others struggling with substance-use disorder.

Enlarge / Fleets looking for a medium-duty electric truck now have a new option. (credit: Motiv) Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles account for about 23 percent of US vehicle emissions. That's much less than the amount of greenhouse gases emitted each year by light-duty vehicles, but if anything, businesses can often have a clearer case for electrification, whether that's to save money on annual running costs or to meet ESG goals.